Sweet treats

Apricot tart recipe with saffron crème fraîche

Print Recipe

Enjoy a Spanish-inspired treat with this apricot tart recipe. It’s the ideal way to enjoy a taste of sunshine, without leaving your front door.

Apricots are an excellent source of fibre, helping us to keep feeling fuller for longer, while also supporting the beneficial bacteria in our gut. These juicy fruits are an excellent source of vitamins A, C and E. They also contain a number of antioxidants, helping to mop up damaging free radicals.

An added twist to this apricot tart recipe is the base. Made from wholegrain and a pumpkin seed pastry, it’ll give your pudding a truly rustic finish. Pumpkin seeds are wellbeing powerhouses. These small seeds include a number of important nutrients, including protein and omega-3 and 6 fatty acids. Plus, pumpkin seeds also contain iron, calcium and magnesium.

And for something a little indulgent, don’t forget the crème fraîche. This classic ingredient is made from cream that’s been soured using bacteria. It’s naturally thick and adds a generous dollop of beneficial gut bacteria. Learn how to make your own crème fraîche at home, along with many other fermented foods, with Liz’s Good Gut Box.

Discover more delicious pudding recipes

Ingredients

    For the pastry

    • 75g plain flour
    • 275g wholegrain flour
    • 50g pumpkin seeds, finely chopped
    • Pinch of sugar
    • 50g cold, cubed butter
    • 3 tbsp very cold water

    For the crème fraîche

    • Large pinch of saffron threads
    • 150g crème fraîche

    For the filling

    • 40g butter
    • 40g sugar
    • 1 egg
    • 40g ground almonds
    • 40g plain flour
    • 1kg apricots, halved and pitted
    • 3 tbsp golden caster sugar
    • 2 tbsp apricot jam to glaze

    Method

    Use a 23cm fluted loose-bottomed tart tin.

    1. Lightly grease the pastry tin with butter and put in the fridge.
    2. Blitz the flours, pumpkin seeds, sugar and butter together in a food processor (or by hand) until you have a fine grain, then mix in the cold water to form a dough. Roll into a thick cylinder, wrap in clingfilm and rest in the fridge for half an hour.
    3. Remove the tin and pastry from the fridge. Cut slices off the pastry about the thickness of a pound coin and press them into the pastry tin to form a tart crust, making the edges a little thicker than the base. Return the dish to the fridge while you make the filling. You can make the pastry the day before and leave it in the fridge overnight.
    4. Grind half the saffron in a pestle and mortar and stir into the crème fraîche. Then add a few saffron strands and stir well. Keep the crème fraîche somewhere cool until ready to serve.
    5. Heat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4. Make the frangipane by beating the butter and sugar together until pale, then beat in the egg, a little at a time, until fully combined.
    6. Gently fold in the ground almonds and flour to make a thick paste. Spread the filling into the tart tin, then push the apricots in, sinking them down cut-face upwards.
    7. Bake for 30 minutes then sprinkle the apricots with a little more sugar and reduce the heat to 150°C/300°F/gas mark 2 and bake for another 40-50 minutes until the apricots are tender.
    8. Remove from the oven and leave to cool a little. Heat the apricot jam until runny and brush onto the tart, sprinkling over some extra saffron strands. Serve when still slightly warm with the crème fraîche.